The Twelfth Man - Pre Season Fixtures Part 1

Is it that time of the year, the sun is out & everyone is all on their holidays or popping into a beer garden having a cold one. But to ALL Scarborough Athletic fans will be looking at these Pre Season fixtures with optimism for this coming season in the Evo-Stik First Division North.

The teams where playing maybe in the lower NCEL Leagues but one thing I know there no push overs. I know the season hasn't started, but they'll be looking for a good performance if not a win & hit the ground running themselves. But let's have a closer look at Bryan Hughes & Paul Foots opposition coming up this July.

Barton Town Old Boys (A) Thursday 9th July 19:45 

The Euronics Ground, Marsh Lane, Barton-on-Humber, DN18 5JD. 

Don't be fooled by the name, this team from the other side of the Humber Bridge. They are no push overs, they finished a very respectable 5th place in the NCEL Premier Divison. They have Ex Seadog Scott Phillips bagging in the goals, he even got a hat trick on the last day of last season to secure them the 5th spot in the league. 

Scott Phillips

Scott has been a revelation at Batron Town last season as he finished 2nd in all competitions with 37 goals, only falling 3 goals behind Cleethorpes Town front man Brody Robertson.

So he'll love to try and get a goal against his old team, Dave Anderson would be foolish to leave him anywhere away from the pitch for this one. Barton Town are not just a one man team, they where scoring 2.35 goals a game & kept 9 clean sheets, but we do have Ben White who's an ex Barton player on our goal this season & I'm sure he'll know where the main threat from his old team mates. 

Hull United (A) Saturday 11th July 15:00

Dene Park, Beverley Road, Dunswell, Hull, HU6 0AA.

The new boys of the NCEL First Dvision and there not here to make up the numbers in NCEL First Divison league. They may be two leagues below BORO, but lead by former British Champion pro boxer Curtis Woodhouse, he will be pack his first XI with a knockout punch. Also with new chairman & Hull City legend Ian Ashbee they will be a force for anyone coming against them this season. Curtis has been quick to make sure the players who helped them win The Humber Premier Leauge & Cup double are signed up for The Citizens this term. Driffield born Curtis Woodhouse has led a double life in football & boxing at the top flight, he has also managed Goole AFC & Sheffield FC. I personally can't wait for this match and will be down at Dene Park as this should go though all the rounds and should be end to end action, I can't see this been a nil nil draw.

Curtis Woodhouse (left) Ian Ashbee (Right)

Thackley AFC (A) Wednesday 15th July 19:45

Dennyfields, Ainsbury Avenue, Thackley, Bradford, BD10 0TL.

Scarborough Athletic have a midweek match in West Yorkshire against the Dennyboys, old rivals for the Seadogs in their NCEL days so to some supporters this could be a trip down memory lane. Thackley fans are hoping for a strong season after finishing mid table in the NCEL Premier Divison, the management duo of Chris Reape & his assistant Paul Clayton hope to keep that feel good factor from last season. Their fans know that the season only took off after they were at the helm. I do feel that dispite being in a league below Scarborough, Hughes & Foot know not to take Thackley as a walkover, but a building block to finishing off their own team what should be a successful season for the seadogs.

Scarborough Athletic do have another fixture announced for Saturday 18th July but against a Scarborough & District XI kickoff 3pm but I'll do another blog for this nearer the time.

Scarborough team proving to be good sports in junior football

SCARBOROUGH Sports FC have been making an impact in the community for the past three years. 

The club was established three years ago with the intention of supporting grass-roots football and ensuring the game is available to all to all those wanting to play. 

Based at Gallows Close playing fileds, Scarborough sports are the only football club in the league who do not charge their players any signing on fees and have a number of dedicated volunteers and committee members helping to fundraise to provide sports equipment and coaching so as not to hold back any child from partaking in the sport. 

Coach Ant Taylor said: “We aim to provide the area's youths with the opportunity to learn, have fun and experience the importance of teamwork. We are very proud of our achievements and are hoping the hard work of a lot of people connected with the club will lead to much on-field success.

“The kids are a pleasure to work with and they all go out thee with a smile on their faces and enjoyt the game, which is exactly how it should be.”

The under-10s team are always open to new players and if anyone would like to help volunteer on match days or in training they would love people to call or text either Ant Taylor 07825908911 or Samantha Harriman on 07462 297529 for more information.

Ant added: “There are some great facilities around Scarborough such as the pitches at Gallows Close and it is great to be able to put something back into the community.”

Words & pictures by Pete Spence

pete@thescarboroughreview.co.uk 

The Twelfth Man - The New signings

           (www.radioscarborough.co.uk)

It's coming to the end of June and the nights are drawing in closer and you know people on Facebook are going to start telling you how many weekends till Christmas "Bah Humbug!!!"

On a more positive side, was only last week the football fixtures for the prawn sandwich brigade were out, so that can only mean one thing. I will be back on the wireless on a Saturday afternoon with my fellow co presenters, Jerry Scott & our man at the ground Will Baines, giving you ALL the latest news & scores from Queensgate, Bridlington for ALL the action of Scarborough Athletic FC. As they plan another attack up The Evo-Stik North First Division. 

Back at the Helm will be Byran Hughes & Paul Foot respectively. Even though a few players have moved to pastures new, the management duo have been and got new heroes for the Boro faithful to cheer on the terraces. 

There's a new man inbetween the goal, Ben White he joins us from Barton Town Old Boys. He's a tall 21 year old shotstopper from the academy at York City and he wants to slot in where Crackers left off last term. 

The hole that Jimmy Beadle has been left in the Seadog faithful hearts, has been replaced by a spartan, 22 year old Joel Dixon. Who has turned out for Frickley Athletic, Harrogate Railway Athletic & Jimmy's new team Tadcaster Albion. Joel will be giving us a defensive approach to the midfield, giving it a bit more teeth and maybe a different element in attack. Could he be the Evo Stik's Pirlo, only time will tell?

       (Picture courtesy of Blyth Spartons FC)

It seems like forever when we heard the news of Hughes & Foot's first signing of the season. Ex Bantam Dominic Rowe, a pacey winger and sure to be a fan favourite come the end of the season. At only 22 years of age this pocket rocket has took the decision to drop a league or two, to be apart of what is happening at the club. I can't wait to see what this lad can do.

We have one new signing left and that's our new club captain Leigh Franks. Franks is no stranger to the East Coast as like Blott, Beadle, Ingram, Hackworth & even Paul Foot before him have worn the Scarborough FC Jersey. Franks brings in a Welfth of experience to the defence as has played for Buxton & Harrogate Town in the leagues above. Leigh is glad to be back playing for his home town club and we wish the new lads aswell as the current crop who have signed on for another season, all the best in there pursuit to glory. 

 

Taking on the world - Part 1

Over the years there is one thing that I love doing & that is Volunteering. In the past I have used my services in many charitable organisations and the odd couple of football teams. I do this as I am an active person & I love to be part of a community.

Back in the day I have work in a shop for the Royal Voluntray Service, I have worked at Dial-a-Ride, I have worked at Sheffield FC on match days in the turnstiles & have been the Kitman for Scarborough Athletic FC. At the moment my love of football has lead me to coaching kids football, down at Biercliffe for under 10's & next season under 11's. Not only having that all under my belt and a job I also do two radio shows on Radio Scarborough. Where I co present The Twelfth Man Sport Show with Jerry Scott, I now have my own show on a Tuesday night called The Mixtape show.

All that is amazing, but this autumn something much bigger in coming...

I'll show you how big, 20,000 people applied for this out of that they had to reduce this to 10,000 & from all them I am now one of the 6,000 pack members that will be at 13 venues around England & Cardiff for this years Rugby World Cup. This is something I've wanted to do since the Atlanta Olympic Games in the 90's, I was gutted I missed out in applying for the 2012 London games & last years Grand Départ last year. 

It's been a long process and I couldn't of done this without the support of my family especially My brother Craig & my Nephew Harry also not forgetting my wife Laura.

In this journey so far I've had to show why I deserved to be a Pack member in a face to face interview by showing community spirit & follow the Rugby code of conduct:

I have to be honest I'm relatively new at Rugby, I only got seriously into it when my nephew stared playing for York RUFC & I went to cheer him on at matches. Me, Craig & Harry even picked rugby teams to support to give it a competitive edge. Harry is a Wasp fan as he was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. At the time they played at Adams Park home of Wycombe Wanderers. Craig is a Leicester Tigers fan, as there sponsor it "Caterpillar" the construction and mining equipment manufacturers as there more commonly known as "CAT" which are his initials. My team are Saracens for the only reason a player called Dan Scarbrough played for Saracens in 2004-08 and not only was he a good player but had a awesome surname & was a Yorkshire man.

I do say I'm relatively new to rugby, but Rugby has always been there. My other brother played it and always loved watching The World Cup, The Six Nations & Autumn internationals. So to now be apart of The Rugby World Cup this time around is awesome in my eyes, there is nothing bigger. The games I'll be covering are the two at Elland Road home of Leeds United. 

So I've done all my training I can do at the moment, I have two big dates of training in early July & in August and I've had a look at my uniform which I get in July.

Be happy, it drives people crazy!!!

I can say I'm a positive person most times of the day (I can be very grumpy). But I do believe if you feel happy, it will rub of on others and they will be happy aswell. 

My wife taught me something about 6 months ago called "Kill them with kindness" something she uses in her line of work (no she's not a hitman or her).

But she said if you use this, when someone is been negative it will drive them cray cray (her words not mine).

I've been using this principle in nearly everything I am doing with a little help with some NLP training I have acquired  Over the years and I can say I'm coming out with some amazing results. I don't want to go though all my tries at this in fear of losing the momentum I have built with certain people. But if I'm feeling peckish I'll go to a certain leading supermarket where they might have an offer on say 10 pieces of chicken and I have been known to come out with....... 15 has been the most, or yesterday my window cleaner came to the door as we needed to pay him, but I wanted something doing in return that I knew would cost extra (this is sounding filthy) so I had a chat in my happy positive way a d now having that something done at no extra cost. 

So just to round things up, if something is bothering you or it's not right, don't just go in all guns blazing, go in with a smile and see what more you get.

"Be happy, it does drive people crazy"

The self proclaimed Saviour of community radio in Scarborough!!! (Only time will tell)

Ant Taylor is Scarborough born & bread, and he'll tell you he was brought up on the mean streets of Eastfield. Ant is a keen sports fan, he loves Football and as a child would have been seen at the old Athletic ground cheering on Scarborough FC. His favourite player as a child was Tommy Mooney & club legend Darren Foreman.
 In 2002 he met a girl (who became MrsT) in a night club in Sheffield, and the following year he was a resident in S4.
Ant worked for a telecoms company and though them made contacts & later friends at The Worlds Oldest Football Club Sheffield FC. He went to a few matchs before he learned they had a disability team so went training with them & even turned out for a few matches for them.
At the time when Ant was calling it time on playing the sport he loved, Ant moved back to his home town of Scarbough and found himself volunteering for his home town club Scarborough Athletic FC as their kitman. He worked under then manager Rudy Funk and was working alongside players like club captain Tony Hackworth, Paddy Miller & Hull City legend Dean Windass.
But had to cut this short as an old football injury flared up again he had to say farewell to a team that eventually won the NCEL Premier Division a season later.

When Ant moved back to Scarborough he was working at The Scarborough News in advertising, until he was made redundant. In this time of unemployment Ant discovered an app called Vine, where he could make 6 second videos of jokes or sketches, in this time he made friends from Radio presenters, comedians in the states, to a Robbie Williams tribute act called Blobbie Williams. 

Ant went through two more jobs in quick succession. Where he could not fit in aswell as his previous employments, before landing a job in Radiology at the hospital. Ant always wanted to be on radio and after speaking to Tom Campbell & appearing on his show as an avid listener he asked Tom for advice on how to get onto Radio.

A few days later went by and, he found a community Radio Station called Radio Scarborough & sent them an email as they were looking for volunteers to help run the station. A week went by and Ant got a reply asking if he could go meet the MD Jerry Scott, who asked him if he'd like to join up with him on Saturday's to help cover the Scarborough Athletic matches. Ant jumped at this opportunity and felt everything had come round full circle and from there The Twelfth Man show & Ant's Tuesday night show The Mixtape Show was born.

You can hear Ant on Radio Scarborough Saturday's from 2pm & Tuesday evening from 8pm at www.radioscarborough.co.uk